Contributed by Angie Lewis
Emotional Support Dogs help people when they are in distress, offering a comforting presence during feelings of anxiety, depression, autism, bipolar or PTSD. Qualifying your dog to become an Emotional Support Dog (ESA) is a fairly simple task and the whole process only take a few days to accomplish. In order to designate your dog as an Emotional Support Dog, you must have an emotional or psychological condition that requires such an animal. You must get a certification from a licensed therapist or Doctor. This requires an evaluation of your condition and a letter of recommendation for a ESA. An ESA does not have the same training requirements or privileges that a therapy dog has.
These requirements involve that you be a current patient of the mental health professional and:
Your disability must be described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Your disability must substantially limit your performance or participation in a least one of life’s major activities
An ESA must be prescribed to you as a part of your treatment plan
An ESA recommendation letter must be written within one year and expires a year later
Medical recommendation letter packets can be purchased online
A variety of ESA supplies can be purchased online as well (vests, patches, and leashes).
It is best not to try and fake the ESA letter as this is against the law and can land you in a great deal of trouble. A legitimate ESA letter will allow your dog to legally live in 99.9 % of “no Pet housing. Also, landlords are not allowed to charge pet fees when your pet has n ESA letter.
A well behaved ESA is able to fly without extra fees, although there may be breed and size restrictions.
There are certain breeds of dogs that are not accepted as ESAs:
Chow Chows
Cane Corsos
Skye Terries
Blood Hounds
Weimaraners
Border Collies
Emotional Support Dogs play a very important role in our lives with very minimal training requirements. Just another example of how vital a role that dogs have in our lives.
Angie Lewis
Palmer
